Trevor Lewis leads Kings past Blues, 4-1

Helene Elliott

ST. LOUIS -- On a night when the Kings and St. Louis Blues between them showcased more than a dozen players who were chosen to participate in the Sochi Olympics hockey tournament, a player who was invited to the U.S. Olympic orientation camp but didn’t make the final roster was the standout.

Forward Trevor Lewis, who’s usually energetic but is rarely rewarded on the scoresheet, scored twice early in the third period as the Kings defeated the St. Louis Blues, 4-1, on Thursday at Scottrade Center.

Lewis' first goal of the season was initially awarded to Dwight King though it appeared to go in off the body or skate of a St. Louis player. Defenseman Slava Voynov and goaltender Jonathan Quick were given assists on the play. Lewis later scored an alert short-handed tally that gave the Kings some breathing room at 4:21 of the third period.

The Kings' final goal was scored into an empty net by Jeff Carter at 19:04.

Quick made 28 saves to improve to 4-1-1 since returning from a groin strain. His backup was Martin Jones, who was recalled from Manchester (N.H.) of the American Hockey League after Ben Scrivens was traded to Edmonton on Wednesday for a third-round pick in this year’s entry draft.

In a hard-hitting and tense game that occasionally boiled over into scrums, the Kings took an early lead and protected it for the rest of the first period.

Jake Muzzin scored the goal, his third this season, 2:31 into the game. His shot from above the left circle was made possible by a fine pass from Colin Fraser, who had won the puck along the boards. Jordan Nolan also got an assist.

The Kings had some good scoring chances midway through the period, but Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak made a fine stop on a deflection by Carter and got some help when a shot from the left side by Justin Williams hit the corner where the post and crossbar meet.

Quick protected that lead until 5:55 of the second period. That’s when Blues forward T.J. Oshie converted the first penalty shot of his career, a chance he was granted after he went in alone on a breakaway but was pulled down by Muzzin. On the penalty shot, Oshie kept the puck low and rifled a wrist shot through Quick’s leg pads to bring the Blues even at 1-1.

The Kings, who snapped a five-game road losing streak, didn’t capitalize on a power play they had gained when Ryan Reeves was penalized for roughing at the end of the second period, but they scored four seconds after the advantage ended and added a short-handed goal 2:17 later to build a 3-1 lead.

Lewis' first goal gave the Kings a 2-1 lead at 2:04 of the third period as the puck appeared to glance off the skate of a Blues player before entering the net.

Lewis unmistakably deserved credit for the insurance goal at 4:21. With the Blues on the power play, Halak came out of his net to the corner to play the puck. However, Lewis used his speed to beat the goalie to the puck and then skated behind the net before wrapping the puck inside the left post.

Linden Vey, recalled from Manchester by the Kings on Thursday, was scratched from the lineup. So were Matt Greene (concussion symptoms) and Tanner Pearson.